Hi!

Ahhh  Autumn ~ a season of change.  The trees begin to change colors, bringing different colored foliage, which eventually drops off into our yards.  Meaning we still have some yard work to do...  It also brings cooler temperatures, so we begin to put our summer clothes away and bring out our warm sweaters.  I am one to wear sweats during the winter in the house because they are so warm!  Sitting down with a nice cup of tea on a rainy autumn day, now that is cozy! 
 

The Importance of Kitchens & Baths

As you may know, kitchens and baths are usually the first two things buyers want to see when viewing a home that is on the market.  These two rooms can be the easiest to stage for free, or for very little cost.  For starters both rooms need to be CLEAN.  Which would mean scrubbing floors, tiles, counters, cupboards  and tubs.  If these rooms are clean and smelling fresh it will leave the impression that the home is well cared for.

In the kitchen, you will want to remove all the items from the counters to show off all that space you have.  In the bathroom, clear the counters of your personal items and tidy up the shelves in the shower and/or ledges around the tub.  If these are items that you use on a daily basis, I recommend to my clients that they purchase or reuse baskets to store items required and place under the sink neatly out of sight.

If the bathroom is decorated for use by your children, you may want remove any wall or tub decals and stow away the bath toys.  It would also be a good time to freshen the bathroom by purchasing a new shower curtain, rugs or towels if it is in your budget.

If that is not in the cards, think about perhaps repurposing a single shear drapery panel  as a shower curtain.

One important thing is to NEVER, EVER, have carpeting in the bathroom (not even those fuzzy toilet covers…..ew!)  These are just some low-cost or free home staging techniques.  Of course there are other things that can be done, such as changing hardware, or painting cupboards, which are all relatively inexpensive changes when compared to a complete bathroom or kitchen remodel.  You need to find what will work best for your budget, remembering though that buyers are willing to pay more for a property if these two areas of the home are modern, clean and up to date.

Great Resource:

 RE FOUND OBJECTS.COM

Set in a converted garage, RE offers a plethora of the really unusual, the recycled, the remarkable, and the rescued and restored objects from around the world.

As always our aim with our monthly newsletter is to fill it with great articles, information and stories that will inspire and educate you.  So if you know of a great article, story you would like to share with us or perhaps a business that has a product or service that blows you away, let us know as we would be happy to showcase them in our newsletter.  

Sincerely,

About Kym Tarr

Kym is the owner and the creative force behind ShoeString Home Staging. She is a professionally trained & certified Home Stager & Interior Redesigner and a Home Staging Instructor for the PRES Staging Resource Center. Kym has gained extensive experience owning and operating her own successful home staging company for the past 6 years which allows a natural talent to shine through in all aspects of her business.

Be it an office, one room or an entire house her artist's eye brings out the best of furnishings and accessories. There is an emotional side to decorating or staging someone's personal space and she loves creating places and spaces filled with great style, beauty and functionality that nurture people on every level.